Learn how to decorate your Texas home with our DIY fall wreath guide!

Sometimes, fall begins in Texas without really feeling like its fall; we often still have hot, sunny days and the colors may not have started to change. But while the weather may take a few weeks to catch up, there's no reason you can't get started on crafting DIY decorations for autumn! So gather your pumpkins, leaves, grapevines, corn, and other fall-related items and break out the hot glue and ribbons - today, we'll show you how to make your very own fall wreath!

What is a fall wreath?

If you've never heard of a fall wreath, the idea similar to a Christmas or winter wreath and both use a blend of natural, seasonal elements to make beautiful decorations. However, rather than using holly, pinecones, and sprigs of spruce, fall wreaths traditionally use fallen leaves, flowers, acorns, branches, and other popular fall adornments that mark the transition from summer to fall. Other potential elements draw inspiration from the harvest, such as corn, corn husks, pumpkins, gourds, burlap, wheat, and vines.

But you don't have to exclusively use the bounty of nature for your design - you can get creative with the components by adding ribbons, bows, and even lettering to help you personalize your handcrafted creation. While a Christmas wreath focuses on using Christmas colors, like green, red, and gold, a fall wreath draws upon warmer earth tones, such as brown, orange, yellow, and red. 

When designing your very own handmade fall wreath, consider the following tips to make it truly unique:

Add pops of color. Your wreath doesn't have to be entirely composed of fall colors. Using different, distinct colors can be a great way to make your wreath stand out. Consider adding accents of white, muted shades of pink, and even darker hues of green to capture the beauty of fall.

Go asymmetrical. Nature isn't always perfectly symmetrical, and your wreath doesn't have to be either! If you're short on certain supplies, or simply want to display a variety of fall elements, consider playing with the balance and layout of your decorations. A wreath that's composed of branches on one end and leaves and flowers on the other can give an elegant and sophisticated look that represents the variety of the natural world. Besides, nothing brings that homemade, DIY feel to a wreath like a little intentional randomness!

Personalize it. Fall wreaths often represent gratitude for a bountiful harvest by featuring things like corn husks and pumpkins. By personalizing your fall wreath with your family's name in wooden letters or by placing family photos in the center, you can show off what you're grateful for in your own life!

Texture and paint it. Mother nature provides endless variety when it comes to texture and accents, but you can highlight these elements with a bit of a personal touch. Glitter, metallic paints, and other accents are often used to give fall wreaths that extra bit of flare.

Repurpose old items. Among other things, fall often represents the passage of time and transitions. But when we move from one phase of life to the next, we create and hold on to cherished memories. If you have old family memorabilia or decorations, use them in your fall wreath to celebrate those memories! Don't be afraid to add trinkets and other sentimental items - they can always be removed later. However, keep in mind what sorts of items you use when deciding where to feature your wreath - not everything holds up to the elements.

Hunt for components. When the leaves do begin to change and fall, one of the best sources for materials for your wreath could be your yard! Rather than relying on a craft store for all your supplies, turning to nature can help you create a unique wreath that represents your local surroundings. If you find that your yard isn't the best source, consider traveling to a local park. You can even make a fun family day out of it! Work with your children to create a list of possible materials and conduct a scavenger hunt to collect them.

Keep it simple. It can be tempting to add every fall-related material you can get your hands on - there are so many to choose from! However, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing (pumpkin spice, anyone?). If you're short on materials, don't worry - simple designs can often be the most elegant. Even if you have a wide selection to choose from, picking a few elements to stick with is often better than going all in.

Of course, you can find dozens of lists with literally hundreds of designs for fall wreaths online. Many of them are beautiful, but consider using them more as inspiration, or as a starting place, and take some time to design one of your own using these tips. The result will be something truly unique that speaks to what and your family love most about fall!

How do you make a fall wreath?

Regardless of how beautiful the materials you gather for your wreath are, it is essential to make sure that it's secure, stable, and won't fall apart. One of the best ways to make sure your wreath stays together is to start with a solid foundation, like a wire frame. If you're more experienced with crafts and have the tools, you can create your own wire frame by bending the wire into a circle or weaving the wire into a mesh. You may even consider using chicken wire to create your frame. It's easy to bend and can provide plenty of places to secure your materials. 

If you're not as experienced, or simply want to save a little time, you can usually find premade wreath frames at your local hobby shop. With a little extra time and talent, you can even weave together a frame from vines or twigs for that completely natural look. If you do make your frame yourself, make sure that it's in a desirable shape before you start decorating it as making adjustments to it afterwards can be difficult. 

Start attaching your items to the wreath one by one moving around the wireframe in a circle. Placing materials in this fashion ensures that you don't run out of a particular material too quickly, or have portions of the frame left uncovered. When attaching your materials to the frame, there are a few methods you can use:

• Twine or thread. One of the most popular methods used to attach materials involves tying them to the frame with twine or thread. This can certainly take time, and might be more difficult if you have a large number of small items. However, if you have large pieces, like branches or twigs, using twine is a great way to secure your wreath. Furthermore, twine can often be a nice accent to your arrangement depending on your design.
• Hot glue. Hot glue can work well, especially for smaller items, like dozens of acorns, or for artificial additions. It's important to remember that some natural elements, like dry leaves, may burn or crumple from the heat of the glue, so be mindful when using a hot glue gun. 
• Pins. You can also wrap fabric around your wreath (as well as padding) and then pin items directly to the wreath. This can create a rather elegant, fabric-based wreath with a patterned background. If you're going to add fabric, many people find that plaid patterns work well with their design. 
• Foam. Depending on your design, you may even find that using foam is the best way to attach your various pieces to your wreath. If you have a metal frame, simply cut out a piece of foam into the correct shape and tie the two together. Then, all you have to do is firmly stick each piece into the foam. This is perfect if you plan on using long, thin decorations, such as wheat, branches, feathers, or vines.

These are just a few of the ways you can assemble your wreath and keep all of your pieces together, but the only limit is your imagination. You may also find that mixing several of these methods can help give you some flexibility in your design. For example, perhaps you use twine to secure the larger pieces, like twigs, and use hot glue to add smaller things like acorns. Regardless of how you choose to build it, the most important thing to consider is how well it will hold together in the environment in which you place it. 

Where do you display your fall wreath?

Once you've put all your various pieces together and secured them in place, you can finally show off your work and display it! Traditionally, wreaths of all kinds are placed on the front door as a seasonal greeting to guests. If your fall wreath is a bit more delicate, and you're worried that it won't stand up to the winds, consider placing it in your window for everyone to see! This can be a great option to decorate an apartment where your front door may not be as visible as your window. 

If you've made your fall wreath with interior decorating in mind, there are a number of indoor places you can place it. Many people feature some sort of seasonal wreath above their fireplace mantel, either as a standalone decoration or as part of a larger theme. Some people choose to hang their wreaths in the entryway so it is the first thing guests see when they come inside. Fall wreaths can even be a perfect way to add some seasonal flare to a guest room!

Last but not least, rather than hanging your fall wreath on a wall, you can use yours as a beautiful and unique centerpiece for your dining room table. You can even coordinate design elements and color pallets with your other dining room decorations, like your tablecloth and cloth napkins. Add a few season candles on either side or in the center and you have a wonderful fall presentation that your dinner guests are sure to love!

No matter what design or placement you choose, fall wreaths are a great way for you and your family to welcome the fall season into your Texas home!



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